Reclining-chair.



M. THUIVI.

RECLINING CHAIR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14 1913- Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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M. THUM.

RECLINING CHAIR. APPLICATION FILED APR. 14. 1913.

Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' TED STATES ATENT FFIQEQ MARTIN THUM, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO STRAT'I'ON C. LANGSLO'W, OF ROCHESTER, vN'EVV YORK.

RECLINING-CI-IAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

Application filed April 14, 1913. Serial No. 760,946.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN THUM, of Rochester, of the county of Monroeand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Reclining- Chairs; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and tothe reference-numerals marked thereon.

My invention has for its object to provide a novel construction andarrangement of elements inrecliningchairs of the general type involvinga movable seat and back connected together for simultaneous andcorresponding movements, whereby the rear portion of the seat iselevated in proportion as the back is inclined to the perpendicular.

.A further purpose of my invention consists in providing a simple andreadily operated mechanism so that a person while sitting in the chaircan easily control and change the positions of the back and seat, andthus ad just the chair to any position. Another object of my inventionresides in the provision of a construction that will give strength andrigidity to the movable parts of the chair, and at the same time enablethem to be held fixedly in any desired position of adjustment. To theseand other ends the in vention consists in certain improvements andcombinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described,the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of thespecification.

' In the drawings:

Figure 1 isa view in side elevation, with partsbroken away, showing apreferred embodiment of my improvements; 1

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the rear. part of the base frame;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation of the adjusting mechanismemployed to change the positions of the back and seat, and c Fig. l is asectional view on the line 4 '4 of Fig. 2. l V

Similar reference numerals throughout the several figures indicatethe'same parts.

In the present embodiment of the invention, 1 designates the sides ofthebase frame of the chair, which is further provided with arms 2, frontlegs 3 and back legs 1 between which is arranged across piece 5. 6 isthe seat frame loosely supported at the front on the base frame, andwhich is supported at the rear in a manner that will presently bedescribed. 7 is the back frame, to the sides of which are attached thelink members 8 which are provided with rear slots 9 in their lower edgesand front slots 10 in their upper edges in the manner shown in Fig. 1,and for a purpose'that will now appear. 11 designates a support, in theform of a rod, which is attached between the back legs 4 of the baseframe and which serves to hold the back frame in position, the latterbeing held thereon by the engagement of the rear slots 9. The seat frameis maintained in proper relation to'the back frame by being connectedtherewith, and to this end is provided with pins or projections 12 whichengage in the front slots 10 of the link members 8. By this arrangement,it will be seen that as the back frame is moved rearwardly, asillustrated in dottedlines in Fig. 1, the link members 8, connectingwith the seat frame, effect an upward movement of the latter, causing itto assume a corresponding position, as shown in dotted lines. In orderto effect the adjustment as indicated, and to hold the parts in thedesired position, I provide the following mechanism:

Secured between the cross piece 5 and the cross piece 18, whichisarranged between the front and rear of the base frame, is a guide 14;preferably disposed at 'an angle to the horizontal as shown, said guidebeing provided with a longitudinally extending slot or opening 15 whichreceives the holder that will now be described and permits adjustment ofthe latter to different parts of the guide. The holder comprises anupper plate 16 engaging the upper face of the guide, and a ower platewhich is attached to the upper plate and has a central reduced portion17 engaging the slot 15, and offset lateral extensions 18 engaging theunder faceof the guide. The holder is provided at one edge with a seriesof teeth '19, preferably formed in the edge of the upperplate 16 andarranged to be engaged by a suitable 19 of the holder. The lockingmember is actuated and held in normal locking position in any suitablemanner, a convenient means to this end consisting in the followingmechanism. 24 is a lever mounted on the rock shaft 25, and arrangedimmediately beneath the arm of the chair so as to be convenientlyaccessible. The rock shaft 25 is provided at its lower end with an anglearm 26 from which a connecting rod 27 leads to an arm 28, the latterbeing fixed upon the locking member in the manner shown, and connectedto the rod 27 by means of the cotterpin 29. 30 is a spring alsoconnected to the arm 28 and having its opposite end secured to the baseframe of the chair so as to retain the locking member normally inengagement with the holder. change the position of the back and seat,the lever 24; is operated, to release the holder and permit it to slidealong the guide 14: until the desired position is obtained. The backframe is connected to the holder in any suitable manner so as to controlthe movement of the seat and back, and to hold them in adjustedpositions, and to this end I preferably provide a connecting member inthe form of a rod 31 which is disposed centrally of the back frame andextends downwardly through an elongated opening 32 in the holder. Bythis construction it is possible to readily and accurately adjust theback of the chair, and correspondingly the seat, to any position, by aslight pressure of the body, this operation being permitted when thelever 24c is'moved to unlock the holder; and immediately on releasingthe lever, the locking member is actuated by the spring 30 to engage theholder and retain the" parts in such position. in the holder permits theconnecting member 31 to move with the holder to any point of the slot inthe guide freely, and without any binding action between the connectedparts. The holder also serves to prevent the accidental displacement ofthe back frame upon'the pivots 11 when the seat frame is removed fromthe back frame. At the same time the locking mechanism for the backframe may be operated to adjust said frame regardless of the removal oftheseat frame.

While I have disclosed a particular embodiment of my invention, itshould be understood that I am not limited to the exact constructionherein described, for I may employ various other arrangements andmodifications without departing from the essential features of myimprovements as covered by the claims hereinafter.

I claim as my invention:

1.- In combination with the base frame of achair, a seat frame and backframe pivotally mounted on the base frame and pivotally connectedforobtaining corre spending movements, a: stationary guide" on When itis desired to The elongated opening the base frame, an adjustable holdermovable on the guide independently of the movement of the seat frame,means for looking the holder on the guide, and a connect ing devicecarried by the back frame and in engagement with said holder.

2. In combination with the base frame of a chair, a seat frame and backframe pivotally mounted on the base frame and pivotally connected forobtaining corresponding movements, a stationary guide arranged centrallyon the base frame, an adjustable holder slidable on the guideindependently of the seat frame, means for locking the holder on theguide, and a con necting device disposed centrally of the back frame andin engagement with said holder.

3. In combination with the base frame of a chair, a seat frame and backframe pivotally mounted on the base ame and pivotally connected forobtaining corresponding movements, a stationary guide on the base frame,an adjustable holder movable on the guide independently of the seatframe and having an opening therein, means for locking the holder on theguide, and a rod carried by the backframe and in en: gagement with saidopening in the holder;

4. In combination with the base frame of a chair, a seat. frame and backframe pivotally mounted on the base frame and pivotally connected forobtaining corre spondinganovements, a stationary guide on the baseframe, an adjustable holder movable on the guide independently of theseat frame, a locking member pivotally mounted to engage'anddisengagethe holder, means for actuating the locking member, and aconnecting device disposed on the back frame and in engagement with theholder.

5. In combination with the base frame of a chair, a seat frame and backframe pivotally mounted on the base frame and pivotally connected forobtaining corresponding movements, a stationary guide on the base frame,an adjustable holder slidable on the guide independently of the seat"frame and having'a series of teeth on one edge, a pivoted locking baradapted to engage and disengage said teeth, means for actuating thelocking bar, and a connecting device'disposed on the back frame and inengagement with the holder.

6. In combination with the base frame of a chair, a seat frame and backframe pivotally mounted 011 the base frame and pivotally connected toeach other for obtaining corresponding movements, a stationary guide onthe base frame, an adjustable holder slidable on the guide independentlyof the seat frame and havingna seriesof teeth on one edge, a locking barmounted to swing about a longitudinal axis to-engage andzdisengagesaidteeth, a lever at the side. of the base frame, connections; between thelever and said locking bar, and a connecting device disposed on the backframe and in engagement With the holder. 7

7. In combination with the base frame of a chair, a seat frame and backframe pivotally mounted on the base frame and pivotally connected forobtaining corresponding movements, a stationary guide on the base frame,an adjustable holder slidable on the guide independently of the seatframe having a series of teeth on one edge,

a locking rack bar pivotally mounted on a longitudinal axis to engageand disengage said teeth on the holder, means for normally holding thebar in looking engagement, means for actuating the locking bar torelease the same, and a connecting device disposed on the back frame andin engagement with the holder.

MARTIN THUM.

Witnesses:

H. E. STONEBRAKER, RUSSELL B. GRIFFITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner 0! Patents Washington, D. G.

